Nostalgia...The Story of Tiamat
by Lumiale no Miko
Summary: It's from Bahamut's point of view. I don't want to give anything away!


Author's Notes: Okay, this story is an old one of mine. Bahamut has always been one of my favourite GFs, and I wrote this to honour him. Based on a theory I had.  
  
Nostalgia...The Story of Tiamat  
  
By Lumiale no Miko  
  
Chapter One: The Taking  
  
I am Bahamut.  
  
The Humans call me "The Great GF, the Dragon King", I  
  
suppose this is true. I live in a place the humans  
  
call "The Deep Sea Research Center". The DSRC consists  
  
of several underwater levels all stemming at the base  
  
of a glowing blue cylinder. Few humans have ever seen  
  
me, most have been swallowed up by the blue light,  
  
which means death and is a nesting ground for vicious  
  
monsters. Those who have survived the ordeal are torn  
  
apart by my ruby dragons. Few have ever challenged me,  
  
none of them lived.  
  
But my life is not all about battle, we get few  
  
challengers. My life is full of memories, memories of  
  
long lost times. Memories of one person in my life...  
  
...Tiamat...  
  
Tiamat is my blood brother, making him heir to the  
  
throne when I am gone. You'd think he would have  
  
plotted against me, but my brother wasn't like your  
  
typical dragon prince. He loved to play tricks, he was  
  
a favourite amoung the younger generation. Where I was  
  
serious, he was playful, I could never get him to take  
  
me seriously.  
  
Then, one fateful day...  
  
"Hey Baha'! Whatre're we doin' again?", Tiamat yelled  
  
to me, I snorted. "Baha'" was the "affectionate  
  
nickname" Tiamat had bestowed upon me years ago. I  
  
hated it. "For the last time, don't call me Baha'!", I  
  
yelled back. Tiamat laughed and I continued explaining  
  
"We are checking to see if our prey is in sufficient  
  
quantities for us to hunt, if not, then Centra will be  
  
the source of our prey for the next year. This is how  
  
"Reproduction Season" worked. It was a system that  
  
humans rarely interfered in.  
  
"We could just eat the humans then!", Tiamat  
  
exclaimed.  
  
"NO!", I snapped. "Our family has encouraged  
  
friendship between the humans for years! We would  
  
never do such a thing!"  
  
"Then how come you always take the lives of humans who  
  
venture near our home? You call that friendship!?", I  
  
had never seen Tiamat react that way. "It is the  
  
rules.", I calmly explained. "I told them that they  
  
were bargining for their life and they took that  
  
chance. Is it my fault if they choose that path?".  
  
Tiamat said nothing, but flew higher into the sky. We  
  
were flying over our source of food for this year, a  
  
place the humans called "Galbadia". The monsters  
  
seemed to be reproducing fine and would last for about  
  
2 more years.  
  
A sudden rumble caught my attention as ominous storm  
  
clouds rolled in. Without warning, my wings were being  
  
weighted down by the rain. I called Tiamat's name but  
  
he couldn't hear me over the howl of the wind. Or  
  
maybe he just chose not to listen. I sighed with  
  
relief when I saw his sleek form jutt out from the  
  
foggy clouds.  
  
Suddenly, a saw him reel off balance with one of his  
  
black and gold wings trailing black smoke. Had he been  
  
hit by lightning? I concluded that he must have been.  
  
Then the black smoke did a strange thing.  
  
As I watched, the tendril of smoke seemed to twist  
  
around his body like many ropes. He squirmed and  
  
writhed against them, but it was no use. I tried to  
  
fly towards him but was blocked off by an invisible  
  
wall. I roared and called his name. I saw him turn to  
  
me, eyes full of a sadness I had never seen in my  
  
younger brother...a look of despair.  
  
"...Bahamut", Tiamat whispered.  
  
"...Goodbye..."  
  
And then, he was gone...  
  
Chapter 2: The Battle  
  
I hovered in the sky, staring dumbstruck at the spot  
  
where Tiamat once was. The mysterious storm had  
  
vanished along with him. I was puzzled, amoung my  
  
people Tiamat was known as the "storm chaser". I had  
  
watched him go through hurricanes before, why was this  
  
storm any different?  
  
"So, you are looking for your brother?"  
  
I looked up into the sky to see a woman's face looking  
  
down at me, she was wearing a dress of blood-red  
  
colouring. Her violet eyes were piercing, like a  
  
cat's.  
  
On her head were what seemed like white and grey  
  
horns. She looked like some sort of queen...  
  
...or sorceress...  
  
I growled, I knew from experience that most  
  
sorceresses ment trouble. "Where is Tiamat?", I asked  
  
calmly.  
  
She laughed, a light-hearted, childish sound. "Tiamat  
  
is with me, my dear Bahamut, and the fall of the  
  
dragon kindom with him! HAHAHA!"  
  
I growled and flew near her again, but was again  
  
blocked off.  
  
"HAHAHAHAHAHA! Soon I shall have your whole empire on  
  
it's knees! Tiamat and I will accomplish such  
  
wonderful goals together! It's just the beginning of a  
  
new reign of terror!"  
  
"Who are you?!", I screamed just as she began to fade.  
  
"I am Ultimecia." she disappeared.  
  
She left me with a million questions, why Tiamat? Why  
  
not just take me? What did she need him for? I flew  
  
back to the Deep Sea Research Center, I couldn't  
  
inform my people of what really happened. Tiamat's  
  
funeral was conducted that day. I sat there wondering  
  
about the answers to my questions while Tiamat's  
  
friends told of his life. A story I knew quite well.  
  
What I didn't know was that it would be years before I  
  
found the answers to all of my questions.  
  
In the meantime, I would continue to give out my  
  
services as a GF, I fought for years in vain, hoping  
  
one day a human would vanquish me so that I might find  
  
my lost brother.  
  
Then one day, many years after Tiamat's disappearance  
  
my wish came true...  
  
******************6 Years  
  
Later************************  
  
"What is this place?", a male voice shook me from  
  
sleep, it was a calm, leader type voice. More humans  
  
had stumbled upon my home, humans that had come to  
  
take up my challenge.  
  
"Yo! I think I know!", a whinier male voice said,  
  
"Squall? Ever hear of "Battleship Island"?"  
  
"Is it the place where they started doing research  
  
into the GF?", the one called Squall asked.  
  
"Yep! They were looking for some draw point thingie,  
  
but construction stopped. The crew totally  
  
disappeared! It was strange!", the other male replied.  
  
A long pause. "What!? You think I'm BS-ing!?", the  
  
young male asked again.  
  
"Zell, be quiet.", the one called Squall had an  
  
iritated tone in his voice.  
  
"Tch, fine.", Zell muttered. "Hey Selphie! Hurry up!"  
  
"I'm comiiiiinnnngg!", a whiny female voice retorted.  
  
"Wow, this place looks kinda' creepy!"  
  
I heard footsteps come up to the entrance of my  
  
domain, and come inside. The leader, whom I guessed  
  
was Squall, had short brown hair and a scar that  
  
started between his eyes and went down over his left  
  
cheek. Zell, who was next, had spiky blond hair and a  
  
tatoo that resembled a Creeps or a black lightning  
  
strike. Selphie had light brown hair and large eyes,  
  
she wore a bright yellow dress. I cringed, yellow  
  
wasn't my colour.  
  
"Whooo, it's dark in here!", Selphie exclaimed.  
  
I supposed that I should give them a fair chance,  
  
something about these children...bothered me.  
  
"The blue light leads all to death, turn back."  
  
"Oh!", Selphie exclaimed, covering her mouth. "Wow,  
  
creepy!"  
  
"The hell! Where'd that voice come from?!", Zell  
  
demanded.  
  
"Let's check out the core.", Squall suggested. "We  
  
might find some answers." He cautiously strode towards  
  
the core. "Hey!", Selphie exclaimed. "Wait for me!"  
  
she cried as she ran after them.  
  
"Selphie! Wai-", Zell yelled, too late, they were  
  
launched into a battle with an Anacondaur. Squall  
  
whipped out a glowing blue sword with what seemed to  
  
be a gun attached to it. With one swipe of this mighty  
  
weapon, he cut the beast in half, the Anacondaur cried  
  
out and died.  
  
Squall stood over the body, collecting an item from  
  
it's mouth. "Be careful", he warned Selphie. "Only  
  
walk when the blue light's gone!"  
  
"Whoo, sorry!", Selphie blushed. "Guess I got a little  
  
carried away huh?".  
  
"Like hell you did!", Zell yelled "You could have  
  
gotten us killed!".  
  
"Zell, calm down!", Squall stated, Zell quieted  
  
immediately.  
  
Squall walked to the core and looked around "Hello?",  
  
he asked.  
  
"So, you wish to challenge me?", I asked, I stared  
  
deeply into Squall's eyes, they were as cold as ice.  
  
Squall considered the question, "It is not our will to  
  
fight.", he stated solemnly.  
  
This mortal may have a chance. , I thought as my  
  
first Ruby Dragon bodyguard advanced on the three  
  
humans. All three drew their weapons, Selphie had two  
  
rainbow coloured sticks bound by a chain. Zell  
  
appeared to have no weapon, until I caught a glimpse  
  
of a red fighting glove on each hand.  
  
"Holy Judgement!", Squall yelled, I recognized the  
  
robot summon immediately, Alexander, so he had joined  
  
them...they were more special than I thought.  
  
The Ruby Dragon retaliated with "Breath", Selphie bent  
  
down and put her hands on her leg. Zell let a fist  
  
hang in the air...Squall didn't appear hurt as much.  
  
Suddenly, Zell lept forward in a barrage of punches  
  
and kicks, finally ending with a fighting move known  
  
as "My Final Heaven", I tried to hide my amazement.  
  
They had defeated the Ruby Dragon so easily, so  
  
quickly.  
  
Squall collected the Dragon Fangs that had broken off  
  
during the fight. Then I faced him with another  
  
question.  
  
"Begging me for mercy?", I asked.  
  
Zell looked at me with angry eyes, "Never!", he  
  
hissed. This was also a correct answer. They made even  
  
quicker work of the second Ruby Dragon, finishing him  
  
with a move from Squall named "Lion Heart". Now it was  
  
time for the final question, I was beginning to get a  
  
little annoyed, these humans wouldn't give me any  
  
insight into why they were fighting.  
  
"Damned imbeciles, why do you wish to fight!", I  
  
roared. Selphie looked up at me with the innocent eyes  
  
of a young child. "It's our nature", she stated,  
  
"Maybe we were born into it, you can't change fate.".  
  
"Fate made us what we are.", Squall said.  
  
"SeeDs...".  
  
"I see..."  
  
Slowly I moved out into the light so they could see  
  
me, Squall's eyes grew wide as he recognized me.  
  
"I am Bahamut."  
  
"The Great GF, Bahamut..."  
  
"GF, I? Using my powers...It is you humans I fear."  
  
The human named Selphie had been growing weaker and  
  
weaker, I paid no attention to this as I attacked  
  
Squall with "Flare".  
  
Perhaps I should have.  
  
Selphie lept at me, eyes glowing with a new vitality.  
  
"The End!", she yelled as she waved her sticks,  
  
finally positioning them above her head.  
  
Then, the world melted away...I was whisked to a  
  
peaceful valley, full of white flowers, I noticed my  
  
strength draining from me...I had been beaten, after  
  
so many years...  
  
I junctioned to the leader Squall, his other  
  
companions were Shiva, the ice spirit, Alexander, and  
  
Tonberry, the somewhat small resident of the Centra  
  
ruins. I found a quiet space for myself and settled  
  
down in Squall's mind. Finally, my search for Tiamat  
  
could begin and my questions would be answered.  
  
Soon...  
  
Chapter 3: The Reunion  
  
Beating me was only the first step in my quest, I  
  
still had my questions from 6 years ago stored in my  
  
mind. I found a complete surprise when I looked into  
  
Squall's. One name stood out among the rest...  
  
"Ultimecia..."  
  
I learned from Squall's mind of his adventures, his  
  
trials, the emotions he has had to face. He eventually  
  
won through it all. I learned of Sorceresses Edea and  
  
Adel, I learned of Seifer Almasy, of Zone and Watts,  
  
the CC Group, I learned of my fellow GFs. But the one  
  
thing I wanted to learn was missing, but some inner  
  
feeling told me that Squall would lead me to my  
  
brother...  
  
Eventually, after obtaining GF Eden from the fierce  
  
and powerful Ultima Weapon, we made our way to what I  
  
thought of as the goal of my long "search":  
  
Ultimecia's domain. However, upon entering I was  
  
sealed off from Squall's mind, as were the other  
  
Guardian Forces. It was then that I realized that  
  
Ultimecia had put a magical seal on her castle. So  
  
that's why she needed Tiamat. I thought. Dragons  
  
have some of the most advanced magic casting  
  
abilities, Tiamat was actually a little stronger than  
  
I when it came to magic. That explained why she didn't  
  
take me instead.  
  
Suddenly, Squall's mind was cleared for me once more,  
  
a large Sphinx-like creature was lying in the middle  
  
of a staircase. Evidently one of Ultimecia's servants  
  
that was controlling the seal. My breath froze in my  
  
throat, what if Tiamat were also a servant now? Would  
  
I have to kill him? I shook that thought out of my  
  
head and concentrated on the task at hand. While  
  
trying to cross a worn-out chandelier, it crashed to  
  
the floor and Squall's party dispersed in the room.  
  
Squall also noticed that a hatch was broken. Upon  
  
opening this hatch and descending into the wine cellar  
  
underneath, we faced off against Tri-Point. "The hell,  
  
what kind of a monster was that!", Zell cried as he  
  
dusted himself off. The fight had been easy for  
  
everyone since they all absorbed lightning...Squall  
  
could now use GF Abilities like "Defend" and  
  
"Kamikaze", which made the fight against Krysta a  
  
whole lot easier.  
  
We came to an art gallery. Selphie immediately began  
  
bouncing about looking at all the pictures. Squall  
  
stood studying the painting with the missing  
  
description. I was also studying it, when I suddenly  
  
and unexpectedly came up with the answer...  
  
"Vividarium et Intervigilium et Viator..."  
  
"In the Garden Sleeps a Messenger...", Squall mumbled  
  
quietly.  
  
"WHAT'D YOU SAY!?", Selphie yelled. Squall quickly  
  
shushed her. He focused on Zell, who was as white as a  
  
ghost. Squall turned around quickly, only to see a  
  
large yellow piece of machinery looming over him, he  
  
hastily withdrew his gunblade.  
  
The battle against this machinery called Trauma was  
  
easy with the GFs released. Pandemona, the Guardian of  
  
Wind easily defeated Trauma with his Tornado Zone  
  
attack. I must admit I misjudged him, anyone with a  
  
vacuum for a mouth does not look very intimidating to  
  
me.  
  
We continued along, dispatching 2 more servants,  
  
Catoblepas and Gargantua. We had to stop and rest  
  
after defeating Gargantua because of status  
  
abnormalities and GF damage before continuing on. As  
  
we were exploring the dungeon, Zell came upon a cell  
  
which we investigated. Selphie was the first one to  
  
look inside the cell, whereupon she exclaimed  
  
"Ewwwwww, Squall, check that out!", she bounced up and  
  
down and pointed.  
  
It was a corpse, a single rotting corpse. It was gray  
  
with age. It was holding a shiny something in it's  
  
hand, Squall bent so near the corpse that I could see  
  
maggots crawling in those lifeless eye sockets. I  
  
cringed, death could sometimes be very disgusting.  
  
Squall fingered the shiny something in his palm, I  
  
could now see what it was...a silver key.  
  
Click!  
  
Zell jumped at the sound of the door locking. Selphie  
  
ran to it and pulled on it with all her might, but it  
  
was no use...the door wouldn't budge. Zell began  
  
pounding on the door, yelling various obscene  
  
comments. Finally, Zell collapsed on the stone floor.  
  
"A-Are we locked in Squall?", Selphie asked, a hint of  
  
worry in her voice.  
  
Squall said nothing, eyes fixed on a hulking shape as  
  
big as the far wall of the cell, the shape stepped  
  
into view, it was a red giant. And was easily  
  
vanquished by Eden, a GF I respected because of his  
  
power, but unfortunately he was also cursed with the  
  
mentality of a 14 year old that has been given high  
  
doses of sugar.  
  
After much whooping and celebrating, most of which was  
  
done by Eden, Squall unlocked the door using the key.  
  
Selphie, thrilled to be out of the cell, ran ahead to  
  
Ultimecia's chapel and started to play the organ. Zell  
  
gave her a fierce look and began to climb the stairs  
  
to the bridge where we had found the Armory Key, this  
  
item had given us access to Gargantua. Since Gargantua  
  
had already been defeated, Squall suggested that we  
  
climb the Clock Tower. After 20 minutes of climbing  
  
with a monster battle here and there, we reached a  
  
golden bell.  
  
"Whoo hoo!", Selphie exclaimed as she grabbed Zell and  
  
jumped recklessly onto the swinging contraption.  
  
Zell's arms flailed as he tried to keep his balance.  
  
"Dammit Selphie, what was that for!?", he yelled.  
  
Selphie blushed, "I got a little carried away!", she  
  
cried as Zell jumped to the other side.  
  
"Yeah? Well-", Zell stopped mid-sentence, "Hey guys!  
  
Check this out!", he yelled, waving his hands, Squall  
  
sighed and jumped over via the bell. Zell was smiling,  
  
standing next to what appeared to be a door carved  
  
into the Clock Tower. "We're almost home free, BABY!",  
  
he exclaimed. Squall moved him aside and went through  
  
the door first, it led to a balcony...and hovering  
  
above the balcony, approximately ten inches away  
  
was...  
  
"Tiamat!"  
  
Tiamat hadn't changed since I last saw him, he was  
  
still the same blue dragon, with gold and black wings,  
  
but you could just FEEL that something was wrong with  
  
him. He wasn't the same. He was...  
  
...evil.  
  
"Face my Wrath for Seeking Thy Sealed Power..."  
  
"Tiamat, it is I Bahamut, do you not remember me?", I  
  
asked.  
  
Tiamat snorted, his red eyes glowed with intensity, I  
  
wept in my mind when I realized that he had no memory  
  
of me, his memories of me had to be somewhere inside  
  
him...HAD to be.  
  
I sighed. "Squall, do what you have to do."  
  
???, but he's your brother.   
  
"I know Squall..."  
  
The battle seemed to last for hours, in reality it  
  
lasted only half an hour, it was a long half hour.  
  
Soon, Tiamat lay weakened, his expression pleading.  
  
"Squall, please allow me..."  
  
Yes   
  
"MEGA FLARE!", I burst out of Squall's mind, I felt on  
  
top of the world, younger then I had ever felt before.  
  
I soared over my brother and let loose the awesome  
  
orange and white pillar of light known as "Mega  
  
Flare". I noticed a strange thing right before impact,  
  
Tiamat's eyes were no longer fearful of me, nor dark  
  
and evil, his face was no longer twisted into a scowl,  
  
but had softened into a goofy grin. At that moment I  
  
saw the real Tiamat, the dragon with a passion for  
  
life. At that moment I knew that his spirit was put to  
  
rest. Then, as quickly as it had come, the fight was  
  
over, my brother had disappeared...  
  
I flew back down to the ground, where Squall put a  
  
hand on my shoulder, "I'm sorry", he said.  
  
I nodded, "You did what you had to do. It was your  
  
duty."  
  
Squall surprised me by smiling. "Will you still be  
  
coming along with us?"  
  
I nodded again, "I could never abandon a friend"  
  
It was Squall's turn to nod his approval and I  
  
junctioned with him once more.  
  
"C'mon you guys! Let's kick some ASS!", Zell yelled.  
  
"Yeah, let's show her what we're made of!", Selphie  
  
exclaimed "Booyaka!".  
  
"Whatever...", Squall mumbled.  
  
So, we went away from the scene of chaos where I had  
  
last seen my brother. Now as I continue to look back  
  
on that day, I smile as I remember the serene look on  
  
Tiamat's face and recall happier times, for I know  
  
that he is in a better place and his spirit is at  
  
peace, his destiny fulfilled. My destiny is far from  
  
fufilled, but my spirit is at peace, knowing that I  
  
will see Tiamat again, and that through my long career  
  
as king. The spirit of Tiamat will continue to live on  
  
in my heart-and the hearts of others  
  
Forevermore...  
  
The End! 


End file.
